Q&A With PLAYBOOK Author Gary E. Parker
1. What inspired you to write “The Playbook”?
I was inspired by my experiences as an athlete and the profound impact that my coaches had on my life, as well as the desire to explore themes of resilience and mentorship in sports.
2. Can you tell us more about the main character, Chelsea Deal, and what makes her unique?
Chelsea Deal is a pioneering female football coach in a male-dominated sport. Her strength and determination to break barriers while nurturing her team make her a compelling and unique character.
3. “The Playbook” tackles themes of gender equality and racial dynamics. Why were these themes important for you to include?
These themes reflect ongoing societal issues. Incorporating them into the story highlights the challenges and progress in sports and society, making the narrative relevant and thought-provoking without being political.
4. What challenges did you face while writing this book, and how did you overcome them?
Balancing the technical aspects of football with the human stories was challenging. I focused on authentic depictions of sports scenes while ensuring the characters’ emotional journeys were front and center.
5. Which character in “The Playbook” do you most identify with, and why?
Though I’m obviously not female, I identify with Chelsea because, like her, I’ve often been in roles where leading with integrity and nurturing others was essential.
6. What message do you hope readers take away from “The Playbook”?
I hope readers are inspired by the resilience and courage of the characters and see the power of believing in yourself and others, regardless of the challenges you face.
7. Can you share a bit about your writing process for this book?
My process involved research into high school football, crafting detailed character backstories, and integrating my own experiences to enhance the authenticity of the story.
8. Were there any real-life figures who inspired the character of Chelsea Deal?
While Chelsea is a fictional character, her determination and pioneering spirit are inspired by various historical figures in sports who have broken similar barriers.
9. What do you believe is the most impactful scene in the book, and why?
The scene where Chelsea finally reveals what led her to leave her law practice to become a football coach is a touching episode where her backstory steps to the front and we truly see what makes her tick. It’s a moving event and she and her team are never the same as a result.
10. How does “The Playbook” compare to your previous works?
This book resembles some of my previous works as a strong female character takes center stage in the story. It’s different however, in using a sports backdrop as the setting for the characters to overcome their struggles and find ultimate triumph. All of my writings carry the underlying theme of hope in the midst of adversity.
11. What kind of research did you do to ensure the football scenes were accurately depicted?
I used my own experience as a starting point then added to it by studying playbooks and reading articles that focused on football schemes and strategies.
12. How do you handle the dynamics of team sports in your narrative?
Team dynamics are central to the story. I explored how individual personalities and relationships within the team shape their journey through the season.
13. What is next for you after “The Playbook”? Are there more sports-themed novels in the future?
I definitely plan to write at least one sequel to The Playbook (perhaps more) since these characters are young and their journey isn’t over. And, I have the idea of writing a narrative non-fiction story for a prominent athlete who’s overcome a lot of adversity to find eventual success in sports and life.
14. Any advice for aspiring writers who want to tackle sports in their fiction?
My advice would be to focus on the human elements that drive the sport. It’s not just about the game but about the people who play it and their journeys on and off the field.
Coming Soon – Judgment Tree
1. What inspired you to write Judgment Tree?
The seed for Judgment was planted over coffee with my friend Enoch Booth. He shared stories about his great-grandfather, James Booth, who lived through the Civil War. As I listened, I realized there was a powerful blend of history, humanity, and heart in his family’s past, and I knew I wanted to bring that to life in a way that would resonate with readers today.
2. This book blends fact and fiction. How did you approach that balance?
I wanted to honor the historical truths while allowing the story to breathe as fiction. Some characters and events are drawn from real life, others are imagined, but the emotions of love, loss, courage, and redemption are universal and true to the time.
3. The novel follows multiple characters. How did you decide whose voices to include?
Each perspective offered a unique lens on the war. Colonel Axel Strong’s determination, James Booth’s youthful grit, and Roscoe Pierce’s morally gray ambition all create a tapestry of motivations and choices. I wanted the reader to feel the war’s impact from the battlefield to the homefront, and from the desperate to the opportunistic.
4. How important was historical accuracy in your process?
As a former history major, accuracy is essential to me. I did my best to stay true to the period — the battles, the social conditions, the speech, while also making deliberate choices when the story demanded it. If a detail was adjusted, it was always in service of the narrative.
5. Which character did you most connect with personally?
James Booth holds a special place for me. His longing to prove himself, to protect his family, and to make his mark in a world that keeps telling him “not yet,” that’s a feeling I think many of us understand, regardless of the period.
6. The story tackles themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and redemption. Why these themes?
The Civil War is a backdrop that naturally brings out extremes of human behavior, both the worst and the best. I wanted to explore what happens when people are forced to choose between their survival and their promises, between personal gain and the greater good.
7. What was the most challenging part of writing Judgment Tree?
Balancing the sweep of a large, historical narrative with intimate, personal moments was a challenge. It’s easy to get lost in the grand scale of war, but I wanted the reader to care deeply about each journey.
8. Was there a particular scene you found especially moving to write?
There’s a moment when Colonel Strong, left for dead, rises from the “dead man’s wagon” and reenters the world. It’s more than a physical resurrection; it’s the beginning of a mission rooted in love and loyalty. Writing that scene felt electric.
9. Did any real-life figures outside of Enoch Booth’s ancestor influence the book?
Yes, I drew on accounts of both famous and everyday people from the Civil War era, such as soldiers, civilians, freedmen, and opportunists. I wanted the cast to feel authentic, like people you could imagine living through those days.
10. What do you hope readers take away from Judgment Tree?
That history is not just dates and battles; it’s the lived experiences of people like us, who loved, feared, and hoped in ways we still recognize today. And that even in the harshest of times, redemption is possible.
11. How does Judgment Tree differ from your other novels?
It’s one of my most layered stories, with multiple intersecting plotlines and moral questions that don’t have easy answers. While my other books also focus on hope in adversity, this one digs deeply into the moral compromises people make in times of extreme crisis.
12.What kind of research did you do to capture the Civil War setting?
I read first-hand accounts, studied military records, reviewed period maps, and explored the culture and language of the 1860s. I also leaned heavily on Civil War scholarship to make the setting feel authentic without overwhelming the reader with historical detail.
13. Is there more to come from this world or these characters?
I could see returning to this world. The Civil War era is rich with stories left untold, and some of the secondary characters in Judgment Tree still have more to say.
14. What advice would you give to writers tackling historical fiction?
Do your homework, but don’t forget that at the heart of history are people. Readers connect with emotions and relationships first, and the history deepens their experience once they’ve already fallen for the characters.